Modern Warfare 2

The plot of Modern Warfare 2 is the first in the Call of Duty series to follow on directly from its predecessor. While the storylines of many games seem to be a bit of an afterthought, I’d say this one could put many Hollywood action movies to shame. Although slightly less believable than developer Infinity Ward’s first departure from the WW2 setting, Modern Warfare 2 has a compelling narrative with twists and turns that will leave you unable to put down your controller.

The story picks up 5 years after the end of Modern Warfare. Despite the death of Zakhaev, Russia is now under the control of the Ultranationalists and tensions with the West run high. Zakhaev’s right hand man, Makarov, decides to take advantage of the situation and push for all out war as vengeance for his former leader. Cue Task Force 141, the multinational special forces unit set up sometime between the two games to combat the threat posed by organised terrorist groups. You play as five different characters throughout the course of the game, some more unexpected than others, but all working to help TF-141 and stop Makarov and the Russians.

The objectives and gameplay of the 18 campaign missions vary almost as much as the locations – from stealthy infiltration and a snowmobile chase on a snowy mountain, through running for your life in a militia infested Brazilian favela, to repelling an invasion force on the burning streets of America (watch the trailer, that’s not a spoiler). IW’s talent lies in their ability to throw all of these different, but equally thrilling experiences at you in quick succession without changing the controls and game mechanics so much that you don’t know what you’re doing. They’ve also managed to develop characters – both new and returning – that you really get attached to, making it surprisingly emotional when you lose some of them.

One of the few complaints some have about the game is the length of the campaign, clocking in at less than 8 hours for most players. This is balanced out, however, with the fantastic new Special Ops mode. The 23 missions, spread across 5 tiers (Alpha, Beta, Charlie, Delta and Echo) take place in settings from the campaign but are not part of the main plot. They can be tackled alone or with a friend in two player co-op, either split screen or online. Missions can be played at Regular, Hardened or Veteran difficulty, and are the most challenging part of the game, definitely designed for two. Each one sets a different challenge, including defending against waves of enemies and taking on heavily armoured enemies with just a knife and explosives. Special Ops provides the perfect solution for players who have completed the campaign and want something a bit different from the player vs player online multiplayer.

Speaking of multiplayer, it’s everything we’ve come to expect from a Modern Warfare game, and more. Those of you who have played Call of Duty 4 will know that the multiplayer is something you just keep going back to. It was still one of the most popular games on Xbox Live until its sequel was released last Tuesday, and IW clearly know they have a winning formula, as much of the core multiplayer experience remains the same.

The tweaks and additions aren’t exactly massive changes, they just improve an already excellent game. There are 12 maps in a variety of environments, which can be played in a number of game modes including Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Search and Destroy, and Headquarters. Some playlists also allow you to play from a third person perspective. There are new weapons and equipment available to unlock and customise with attachments. The ranking and perk system is still there, with a number of new perks and the introduction of ‘pro’ versions of each. Killstreaks can now be customised, enabling you to choose a set of 3 rewards for so many kills. Another new addition is deathstreaks, which give you a bit of an advantage if you’ve died a few too many times in a row! Finally, players can unlock callsigns and emblems to show off alongside your name and rank when you get a kill or complete some other objective. You’ll soon come to realise that this game rewards you for pretty much everything, and that’s no bad thing for someone like me who usually takes forever to rank up!

Visually, the game hasn’t changed all that much from the CoD4. One noticeable change is the blood splatter across your screen when you’re badly injured, impairing your view and telling you to get to cover. The music certainly adds to the action-packed suspense and drama of the plot, and all of the other sounds make the game a truly immersive experience.

There is so much more I could say about this game, but I just want to get back to playing it. I suggest you do the same, and discover everything it has to offer for yourself. Sure, it’s not quite perfect, but it’s not far off. Besides, if it was perfect, what could we look forward to in the inevitable Modern Warfare 3?

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